Week Ahead: The Innate Power To Resist

Welcome to week five of the Resistance.

We survived the first month of Donald Trump’s toxic takeover. The occupying forces are corporate and the stakes couldn’t be higher. A major coup indeed. Trump is far from being a so-called outsider to our current political system – he is its beneficiary.

The successful presidential campaign of a reality TV star reveals just how much capitalism has trumped democracy. As the Donald fills his Cabinet with profiteers, the Republican Party’s investments and the Trump family’s mounting conflicts of interest are on display for all to see – if only everyone could open their eyes.

Unfortunately, many Americans bought what Trump sold – but not the majority. Many Americans are DONE being addressed as mindless consumers and are standing up and speaking out. We must demand to be taken seriously as citizens. And frankly, this kind of activism is new to a lot of us.

As Members of Congress take a recess this week, many individuals and groups plan to show up at their local town hall meetings and let their electeds know how they feel. Even Democratic politicians need to be pressed on how they intend to make white supremacist capitalist patriarchy more “equitable.”

Ahead this week we will present five informational ‘Tools for Revolutionaries’ and other resources for people attending their town halls. Also, take some time to check out Together We Will’s new resource page with links for Community Organizing 101. The cost of complacency is too high.

Many who feared Trump’s rise believe that as a terrible businessman, he will set in motion a series of catastrophes that will cause massive upheaval, signaling the beginning of the decline of our “superpower.” If the rash and ill-informed decisions of his first four weeks are any indication, the coming months and years will test our resilience as a nation, as a planet, and as human beings.

Last week, Scott Pruitt was confirmed to head the Environmental Protection Agency even though his intention is to destroy it. There were a couple of triumphs when Andy Pudzer withdrew his nomination for Labor Secretary and National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned. The collusion between Trump advisors and Russian intelligence officials muddies the waters, while Republicans ruthlessly roll back more public protections using the Congressional Review Act.

So, we must fashion ourselves from steel, remain steady, and plan for the next attack.

We can only guess what is going on behind the scenes in the White House. Now that Trump possesses the power to “restore law and order,” he will rule with an iron fist. He has hinted that a new immigration order is coming soon, and there are rumors that 100,000 of the National Guard will be deployed to round up “illegal” immigrants.

So, we must fashion ourselves from steel, remain steady, and plan for the next attack. There are unintended consequences when it comes to both power and resistance. Stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and recognize that this is the stuff we are made of – we were born with an innate capacity to resist.

resistance:
noun \ re·sis·tance \ ri-ˈzis-tən(t)s \

1a : an act or instance of resisting : opposition b : a means of resisting

2 : the power or capacity to resist: such as a) : the inherent ability of an organism to resist harmful influences (such as disease, toxic agents, or infection) b : the capacity of a species or strain of microorganism to survive exposure to a toxic agent (such as a drug) formerly effective against it

3 : an opposing or retarding force

4 a : the opposition offered by a body or substance to the passage through it of a steady electric current b : a source of resistance

5 : a psychological defense mechanism wherein a patient rejects, denies, or otherwise opposes the therapeutic efforts of a psychotherapist

6 often capitalized : an underground organization of a conquered or nearly conquered country engaging in sabotage and secret operations against occupation forces and collaborators

Vicki Summers is a freelance writer, editor, and feminist teacher. She lives in Cincinnati with her spouse and two clever and energetic daughters. She has a BA in English from the Ohio State University and an MA in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies from the University of Cincinnati. Vicki has taught Gender Studies courses and worked in nonprofit settings, including workforce development and after-school programming for urban youth.